


New Recruit

by PokemonSoldier



Series: Toppats in Duckburg [5]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017), Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: Betrayal, Family, Running Away, Sacrifice, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:41:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28224084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PokemonSoldier/pseuds/PokemonSoldier
Summary: Louie decides to run away from home, feeling like he doesn’t fit in, and plans to join the Toppat Clan. Unfortunately, his plans are interrupted and discovered, and he has to make a heartbreaking decision...
Relationships: Carol Cross & Original Male Character(s), Louie Duck & "Glittering" Goldie O'Gilt, Louie Duck & Webby Vanderquack
Series: Toppats in Duckburg [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2064390
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	1. Betraying Family

How?  
How was it that this group of criminals could actually best Uncle Scrooge, Webby, Mrs. Beakley, practically all of the McDucks, and steal from them without repercussions nor failure? That was Louie's initial thoughts, being the same as his family's. At least, they were until he found out just how big, wealthy, and powerful the Toppat Clan was. Then, he felt he would fit in perfect there. I mean, what not to like? They seemed to prefer cunning over brute strength. They had immense power and skill. And most of all, no hard work!

"I can smell the gold already! Heheh!" Louie said as he laid out his plan to find one of them, and ask to join. Certainly if he could prove his skills, they'd take him in, right? "And best of all, nobody kno-"

"Hey Louie! What's up!?" Asked a cheerful pink duckling from behind him.

"Oh boy..." Louie sighed, as now this could be a problem. He turned around with a smile, trying to hide being nervous. "Hey, Webs. Why are you here?"

"Uncle Scrooge and the boys are going on an adventure, and wanted me to ask you if you wanted to go. Hey, what's all this?"

"Oh, uh, this stuff?" As he hastily pushes it behind his back to try and hide it. "Nothing, nothing at all... Just uh, just tell them I'll skip this one out, okay?"

Webby approaches him as, seeing some stuff she recognizes, pushes him aside to get a look, eyes go wide, beak agape. "The Toppat Clan?! What are you doing looking them u-mmmpph!"

But before she can finish, Louie grabs her from behind, pinning her arms to her sides and clamps a damp cloth over her beak. "Sorry Webs, I really am, but this whole 'honest adventuring' stuff isn't really my style. Just take it easy, I just can't afford you telling anyone, not yet at least..." He said as he sighed. He'd have to thank Aunt Goldie for the chloroform, though deep down he did question why she was so willing to give it to someone his age so readily.

Webby struggles, but the sweet smelling chemical acts rather fast as her vision goes blurry, as she gets weaker, eyes getting heavy. "Mmph! Lhheh~!" As she soon falls unconscious and limp in Louie's grasp.

"Phew. That was too close... Again, so sorry Webs, I really, really am..." He says somewhat ashamed as he lays her down and gets some ropes. "... but I think this is better for all of us..." As he starts to tie her up tightly, tying her arms and hands behind her back, crossing her wrists and cinching the knots, tying her arms above her elbows, wrapping rope around her arms and body just below her chest, tying them tight, before binding her knees and ankles. Again, why Aunt Goldie so readily taught this knowledge to a thirteen year old boy is beyond him. Finally, he tapes her beak shut so she can't call for help once she wakes up, as he drags her to the closet, sitting her in it, and checking the knots to make sure they are secure, but not hurting her. After all, she is family.

"Mmggh... Mmhhh? Mmmhh!?" As Webby wakes up and struggles, looks up at Louie, a look not exactly of fear or anger, but of betrayal at, well, all of this. Emotionally, she is hurt. Hurt that Louie is joining a group of criminals over his family. Hurt that he is leaving. Hurt that he did this to her. Her eyes well up as she looks at him, saddened, tears about to flow.

"Hey, hey, don't cry, alright?" As he wipes away Webby's tears with a finger, tilts her beak up to look at him as he kneels down. "I'm sorry about doing this, all of this. Leaving the family. Joining an international criminal organization. And especially having to do... this, to you." He sighs. "I was trying to avoid this. Get out before any of you found out, so it could sink in more naturally. But you just had to come check on me didn't you?!" As he starts to get frustrated.

Webby gulps, a bit scared at his getting angry, looks away from him, is hurt even further by him blaming her for this, tearing up again.

Realizing this, he calms down, gets her to look at him again. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean it. I just, I just want to be around people who will appreciate my schemes more, okay? And, frankly, I'd rather it be strangers who suffer from my schemes, than my family, be it Uncle Scrooge, mom, Uncle Donald, my brothers, or..." He sighs. "You..."

She looks at him, eyes lighting up some. "Hmm?"

"You're like a sister to my brothers and I Webs, and we certainly love you like one." As he hugs her close. "I won't forget you, any of you, nor any of the good times we had." As he breaks the hug, looking at her as he puts a hand on her cheek. "Just stay calm, one of my brothers will find you soon enough..." He gets up and exits the closet, closing the door with a sigh as he gathers his stuff into a bag and carries it out the window with him, leaving Webby and his family. He looks back at the Manor with a sigh. There was no turning back now.


	2. The Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louie meets with one of the Toppat Clan leaders, asking to join.

Louie takes a deep breath as he looks around the corner at the docks, not too far from where he used to live before Uncle Donald moved the boat to the mansion. He watched as Toppats were loading cargo onto a watercraft to bring back to their ship. Spotting the one in charge, he readies himself and walks up to them.

A female ? named Carol Cross, one of the heads of the Clan, was making sure stuff was being loaded precisely and on time. "Hey, hurry up! Unless you want us to be late and piss off Captain Boone?" Her saying that got them working faster. However, she sees a small figure in green approaching, realizing a kid has stumbled upon this. "Oh for the love of~" She says to herself. "Hey, kid! The hell are you doing coming over here?! Don't you know it's rude to interrupt people at work?"

"Hmm, depends on the kind of work lady." He says smugly. "If honest, then probably. But, if they are stealing stuff..."

Cross glares at him, gets out some money. "Look, here's some money for you to leave now and forget seeing this, capiche?" As she hands him a rather large sum of cash, easily a hundred thousand at least.

Louie grins and pushes it away. "Why would I want to forget it if I am going to be a part of it?"

Cross narrows her eyes. "What are you getting at kid?" As she readies to reach for her sidearm.

"I'm asking to join your clan! I wanna be part of this, you know?"

Cross gives him a confused look and then her eyes go wide as she recognizes him. "Wait, I know you! Y-you're one of the McDuck kids!" As she puts her hand away from her weapon, makes another realization. "Wait a second, you're the one who hired us as part of the staff for that exhibit ceremony at the museum!"

"Yeah, I- Wait, you're what?" Louie asks dumbfounded, had forgotten. "How do you remember that?! I don't even recognize you!"

"I'm the waitress that fought your 'sister'." She clarifies.

"Oh, yeah, now I remember you..." Louie trails off. "So, can I join?"

"Just, uh, just hold on a sec kid, I gotta call someone..." As she turns around and contacts someone, talking semi-quiet. "Captain, a bit of a situation... No not caught, at least, not in the way you think... Some kid here wants to join the clan... Captain, he's one of the McDuck kids... The green one... Yes the one that managed to hire us as staff for that job... What do I do? I can't kill or hurt him, nor kidnap him. He won't take the bribe... What?! B-Boone are you sure about this? He's just a kid and... W-well, I guess that makes sense, but, what if his family finds out... Okay..." Cross sighs. "Got it, understood. Will do... Out."

Louie grins, as despite not having heard the conversation except for one side, has a fairly decent idea of what this means.

Cross turns to Louie, arms crossed. "Captain wants to see you, see if you have what it takes to be a Toppat. So, get on the boat, we leave in five."

Louie smirks smugly. "Thank you..." He remarks, boarding the vessel.

Some time later, Louie is brought aboard the ship, this time as a guest, as he looks at the sight of the massive rear cargo bay that functions as a sort of port within a ship.

"C'mon kid, the Captain wants to see you." Cross says, leading the kid there, annoyed as, given this ship's size, she will effectively be a babysitter. Or would, if not for the rapid transport across the ship reducing the time.

The two get into a people mover and sit down as it carries them across much of the ship.

"Pretty sweet setup here! Pods just to move people around? I wish the mansion had these!" Louie says, putting his hands behind his head as he sits back.

"They were installed because of the size of the ship. We are literally a giant floating city, and no one wants to be exhausted when they get where they need." Cross explains. She already does not like Louie much, just from his apparent nature. Lazy, cocky, smug. All things a Toppat should NOT be in her opinion.

After about 20 minutes, they arrive within walking distance of the location, at which they disembark and head there, entering some sort of boardroom/meeting room, in which the Captain of the ship, Boone, is waiting.

"Ah, Lady Cross, thank you for bringing him here." The otter smiles, the female Toppat blushing at the name she was called, illiciting a smirk from Louie. "Please, kid, have a seat." He invites. Despite being a head of the Clan, he is rather young, not even in his thirties yet.

"So, you're the guy in charge around here?" Louie asks as he takes a seat in the rather comfortable chair.

"One of them. I am ultimate commander of this ship, but in terms of the Clan itself, power is shared. Miss Cross is one of the co-leaders, and deserves such." He points out, surprising Louie that the leadership is rather young.

"Aren't you guys a bit young to be the head of a criminal organization?"

"Aren't you far too young to leave your family and join a criminal organization?"

"Touché."

"So, care for anything to drink?" Boone offers.

"Got any Pep?" Louie asks with a lazy grin.

"Which kind?" Boone inquires.

Louie grins more solidly, intrigued. "How about Cherry Pep?" As he asks, Boone gets his phone, taps a few times, and a small flying robot brings an ice cold can of Cherry Pep in front of Louie, who promptly takes it, opens it, and starts to drink from it. "Cool~"

"So, might I ask why a member of Clan McDuck, specifically one of Scrooge McDuck's great nephews, wants to join the Toppat Clan? Not that it is a bad thing really, given the McDuck family's renowned capabilities."

"Eh, I like the treasure and all, but not the hard work nor adventuring that generally comes with it." As Louie loudly sips from the can.

"I see. And, what exactly can you offer us? What are your skills?"

"Well, I can see all the angles and I'm great at lying. I could probably help plan things out and act as a distraction and such."

"I see. Well, given your history you are known for causing a lot of trouble for your family and others, Llewellyn Duck."

Louie's eyes go wide as he nearly spits out some Pep. "H-how do you know my full name?"

"I have the Toppats keep a close eye on influential, wealthy, power, and other figures, your family included. Also you literally hired twenty of our members as staff for the amethyst unveiling, and used your real name." Shows the document from the hiring. "I literally have it on record."

"Ah. Right. So... Is that a yes?"

"We will see. You have to prove yourself first."

"Excuse me, sir? Can we talk in private, please?" Cross asks, to which her and Boone go into an adjacent room to discuss the matter. "The kid is not Toppat material. You of all people should know that! Plus, he is a McDuck! They will come looking for him! You cannot seriously be thinking of recruiting him!" She whispers to Boone.

"I know. I'm not actually going to. Remember, this is Louie Duck after all. The lazy one. All we have to do, is show him it is more work than he thinks, and he'll go back to his family. No one gets hurt, no fighting happens, we all win." Boone explains.

"What about his family!?"

"Look, we will get there when we get there, alright? If stuff is about to get too serious, I'll call him, alright? And between you and me, I'd rather make them all honorary Toppats."

"Ugh, this won't end well, I can feel it..."

"I don't have a headache yet so nothing is wrong enough to worry." As he places a hand on Cross's shoulder. "You trust me, don't you?"

Cross looks to the side, blushing slightly, sighs. "O-of course."

"Then keep trusting me, I got this..." As he exits the room with her. "Alright kid, best I show you around and start testing you to see if you are Toppat material."

Louie grins. As far as he knew, this would be a piece of cake...


	3. The Test

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boone decides to test Louie’s skills, thinking the kid will give up. However, it seems there is a bit more to the ‘lazy’ triplet than initially thought...

Boone smiles as he leads Louie on a tour of the ship, explaining its capabilities and features.

"So, this is nice and all, but uh, what about the treasure?" Louie asks.

Boone chuckles. "Of course you would only care about the treasure. Very well, off to treasure storage." Once there, he opens up the viewing windows on the different areas, showing all sorts of artifacts, gems, gold, art, etc. Practically anything of significant value that could be stolen, has been stolen by the Toppats. "Like what you see?"

Louie nods, amazed at just how much wealth the Toppats have. "Uh-Huh..." As he looks at it all.

"Good, because there is a lot more space to fill up. And I bet you'd want to help fill up those spaces, huh?"

"S-s-sure..." Louie says, still amazed. "So, what all do you spend it on?"

"Well, in addition to necessities and Clan expansions, luxuries, of course. Trust me, we've had lots of excessive stuff, such as a space station with death laser."

"Really!? Why aren't you there?! No one could touch you if you used that!"

Boone's smile fades into a slight frown as he sighs. "Because it was destroyed about a year ago..."

Louie notices the somber look on Boone's face, and realizes. "Oh, and, the ones on there..."

"We lost many a good men that day..." Boone says somberly.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry..." Louie says, seeing the otter in a state that implies mental scars.

"Many good friends, all of whom I considered family, gone... Many of them making the ultimate sacrifice for the Clan... I made sure they would never be forgotten, and swore that nothing like that would ever occur to the Clan ever again. It was after that when this ship took the role of primary base for the Clan."

"So, um, anyways... What next?"

"Well, ever since I've had a say in the Clan, I like to have new members say what they want to primarily do. So, let me see where you'd fit in best and we try you out in those..." Boone gets out his phone, looks through the list of positions, lists off the best-fitting ones, which include Infiltration, Field Intelligence, Reconnaissance, and Lookout.

"Huh. Which of those requires the least, you know, fighting and stuff?"

"Well, the point of these is that you go either unseen, or they do not know you are a Toppat, and either steal stuff and get out, eavesdrop, find info on locations we plan to hit, etc. So in short, none of them do. You will be trained at least lightly in combat, as a precaution."

Louie rolls his eyes. "Guh, fine, let's just get this over with."

"We begin stealth testing. You will make your way through an obstacle course for such a purpose. You have to get through, collect intel, steal valuables, and so on, all without being spotted. If caught even once, you go back to he beginning and the course is reset and randomized." Boone explains, leading him there.

Louie sighs, follows. This felt like a lot more work than anticipated. He got there, and it was in a massive indoor training grounds. "Jeez, this entire room I have to get through!?"

Boone laughs. "No, no. This is for all training. You'll just have to get through that." As he points Louie to a block building, roughly thirty-two feet high with three floors, about forty feet wide, and seventy-two feet long. It was clearly modular, and designed to be quickly changed in configuration.

"Okay, that is a bit better. So, I just clear the building?"

"Precisely. Members of the Clan will act as guards, and are armed but with only airsoft guns." He hands Louie a pair of protective eye glasses. "Safety first. They may not kill you but they can still put an eye out. Can't risk that."

Louie puts them on, not taking the chance. "So, uh, any sort of list of what I need to get?"

"Where is the challenge in that? You won't always have the info you need on a target, so you need to figure out how to get in, what is most important, etc." Boone smiles, patting Louie on the back. "I'll be timing you, but don't worry about it, this isn't about speed. It is about effectiveness."

"Alright. So, just find a way in?"

"Just do what you would do if in a genuine situation. Just be you..."

Louie grins, and realizes this would be a peace of cake, as he goes, the timer starting.

Louie sneaks around, watching guards and routines, listening to what they say, and in general keeping track of everything. He notices what look like security cameras, that have a pattern movement, and seem to track movement, locking on when something enters the peripheral. He got as good of a look of the inside as he could, and thinks out a plan, checking all the angles.

Boone watched. The kid was taking way longer than most. He was, intrigued...

* * *

Louie soon makes his move, and waits for the perfect moment to rush under a camera, and slips inside. He observes the first floor, and quickly finds two guards blocking the way, backs to him. They were talking about some mobile game. A casual conversation. He needed to distract both of them without being seen. He thought, when he feels something. A whoopee cushion. He had the perfect idea. He inflates it, straps a rock to it, and tosses it.

"I ended up buffing one of my guys and doing, like, eighty damage." The left one says.

"Nice. Yeah I kept facing that same deck last night and-" The right one starts, but is cut off by a fart sound. "Oh come on!"

"Wait, are you serious? That was totally you!" The left one accuses.

"Excuse me?! Don't you fuckin' accuse me!" The right one defends.

"Oh come on, just admit it!" The left on says with a 'it's no big deal' tone.

"It wasn't me!" As the right one tackles the left one as they get into a fight on the floor, punches thrown.

As this happens, Louie dashes past them, smirking as the plan worked. He makes sure to take the whoopee cushion with him.

Boone sees this, impressed. "Never seen that before..."

Louie sneaks around, searching each room, listening before entering. He finds some documents and a safe in one. He manages to crack the safe first, and finds documents labeled 'TOP SECRET', and some valuables. He removes them and snaps pictures of each page, before putting the documents back in the folder as they were, back in the safe as they were, and returning the safe as it was, down to the dial position.

This kid was... Very impressive. The kid was doing way better than Boone thought he would. In fact, he'd argue this was one of the best runs he'd seen.

Louie would continue through the building, searching every room. He would scan the documents for information of vital importance, taking pictures of the important ones before putting them back, pocket any loot he could easily carry, and move on. He avoided every last guard and camera. Left everything practically as it was. He was surprisingly efficient.

Boone observed, stunned. Seems he took the 'lazy' part a bit too literal. Louie was not lazy when it came to thinking. He was brilliant. He just didn't like physical hard work.

As time passes, Louie makes it to the final room on the third floor. He had pocketed anything he could carry and had gotten images of all documents he felt were important enough. Many of the guards had gone down to break up the fight on the first floor. He put an ear to the door and listened. Nothing. He looked under the crack of the door. Nothing. He slowly open the door and scanned the room. No one was there. He entered carefully and quietly, and took note of how the room was. A large, fancy desk was in the middle, set so it faces the door. Several pictures were on the wall, and stuff adorned the room.

"Jackpot..." He whispers as he first checks behind the paintings for a safe, putting them back as they were. He finds one. However, no keyhole, dial, number pad, or anything he could see to open it. It was wired elsewhere. He goes to the desk and searches it. He finds a load of documents, too many to just take pictures of, so he stashes those in his bag. He then finds a number pad under the desk. It must be for the safe.

"What could the code be?" He ponders when he sees a sticky note. It reads:  
'Check e-mail for safe code reset'  
Bingo. He gets into the computer and checks the e-mail. He finds one with the subject as 'Safe Code Reset'. He opens it:

'X,

How many times are you going to forget your safe code!? I keep telling you to write it down! Jeez!  
I've reset it and changed the code. The code is:  
5-7-8-5-6-2-1-4-4-8-3-0

DO NOT FORGET AGAIN

Sincerely,  
Y'

Louie enters the code on the keypad. He hears a click come from the safe. He checks it. It is unlocked. He opens it to find a large diamond, about three inches across, along with some 8 oz gold bars. He gets it all, closes the safe, and puts the picture back. He puts everything back to how it was and decides to exit out the window. He checks it. Clear below, and a ladder leading down from it. He lowers himself down the ladder, and gets away, returns to Boone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can we get a kudos for the FtC reference?


	4. Mutiny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a change of heart in Boone, it seems Louie is set to be the newest, and likely youngest, member of the Toppat Clan. However, treason seems to be afoot.

Boone stops the timer, looks at Louie stunned.

"How'd I do?" Louie asks

"Kid... That was spectacular! Let's see what all you got." Boone remarks as he is shown everything. "Let us see... Yep that is every last important document we had. You got about five million in valuables. Not spotted once. No suspicion..." He looks at Louie. "That has to be the best run I have ever seen..."

Louie is surprised. "Really?"

"Yes, really..." Boone smiles and kneels down to Louie. "I have to be honest with you kid, I originally was just going to test you to try and make you give up..."

"What!?"

"Yeah. Look. We have a policy against letting anyone under eighteen join, and given you are a McDuck, especially so. Plus, given your aversion to effort, I thought you'd give up. But, seeing this..." As he glances at the stuff taken. "I think I'll make an exception..." As he smiles at Louie.

"Wait, you mean..."

Boone puts a hand on Louie's shoulder. "Kid, I think you ARE Toppat material after all." He smiles at the duckling. "Testing is over, I'm going to go talk with the other leaders. In the meantime, go relax. There is a break room just down the hall on this side of the ship. Wait there until I send someone to get you." Boone hands him a card of sorts. "Show this to anyone who questions you being there."

Louie was stunned, and happy. That was it? He was in?! He nodded. "Thanks! Th-this is amazing!" As Louie heads off, Boone smiling.

However, unknown to either of them, things were about to get... Complicated...

* * *

Louie was sitting on a couch in the break room, drinking some Pep and watching Ottoman Empire. The Toppats were a mix of confused, annoyed, or scared, all for the same reason. There was a McDuck kid on their ship. Louie flashed the card given him a pass to be there when confronted. The Toppats immediately backed off. They whispered about him, expressing confusion, concerns, and frustrations. Louie ignore this.

Then, a figure enters. A male weasel, who walks up to Louie.

"Hey kid, Captain sent me to get you." He says.

"One sec, let me just finish this episode of Ottoman Empire..." Louie says sipping Pep.

"Oh, I think that can wait, especially since it concerns one last thing you need to do to get into the Clan..." He says with a grin.

Louie pauses. "Oh? Is it another test?"

"In a way. But, a small one. Do it, and you'll be a Toppat sure enough..."

Louie grins, gets up. "Alright then, let's go!"

"Good... Follow me..." The weasel grins as he leads Louie down the hall, to the meeting room. There are armed Toppats by the door, as it is opened. The sight shocks Louie.

On his knees, each arm held by a Toppat either side of him, is Boone. He has been beaten and bloodied, and is weak. He looks up at Louie. "Kid..."

"M-Mr Boone?! W-what is going on!?" Louie asks, worried.

"Simple, the captain here is no longer in charge. I am..." The weasel smirks slyly. "This, is a mutiny..."

"W-what!?" Louie scared. Why was he brought here for this? What did he have to do with this? "Why am I here?"

"Simple. One last test you must complete to become a Toppat..." As the weasel takes out a pistol, and hands it to Louie. "Kill the captain."

Louie's eyes go wide in horror. "What!? You can't be serious!?" He protests, but sees all the sinister looks of the mutineers with guns, he gulps, and takes the pistol.

"Worthless rat... Making a child do your dirty work and kill an unarmed individual? You truly are the lowest of the low..." Boone remarks.

Louie looks at the gun, then at Boone, then back at the gun. "I-I can't. I'm fine being a criminal, but, I don't want to kill anyone!" He protests, trying to be defiant, drops the gun. He gets a few rifles aimed at him.

"How cute, thinking you have a choice..." The weasel grins amused, calls on comms. "Bring in the contingency."

Louie is confused as he then hears muffled grunts and curses, as he soon sees the source, and is mortified. Brought the the door, hands tied behind their back back and rope around their chest and arms, gagged with a cloth over their beak, and blindfolded, is Goldie O'Gilt, a mutineer on either side of her, arm interlocked with hers to keep her from running. "A-aunt Goldie!?"

"Shhrphh?!" The Blonde adventuress shouts into her gag, struggling.

"L-let her go!" Louie demands.

"We might, so long as you kill the captain..." The weasel remarks.

"No! I won't do it! You can't make me!"

"Oh, I think we can. Either you kill that captain..." The weasel then puts a gun to Goldie's head. "Or we kill the bitch. Your choice."

Louie was horrified. He didn't want to kill anyone, especially not someone so nice to him. But he couldn't just let Goldie be killed! What was he to do!?

"Pick up the gun. Now." The weasel orders, pulling the hammer back on the pistol.

Louie gulps, and shakily picks up the gun he had dropped, looks at it with dread. He just couldn't do this. This was just too wrong! But, Goldie... He starts to panic. Soon, tears stream down his face, as he starts to cry. The weasel seems amused, smirking sinisterly.

All seems lost. Goldie was going to die, because he couldn't save her. Then, a voice speaks up.

"Kid, it's alright..." Boone says quietly.

"No, it's not! I don't want to kill anyone! But, I, I can't just let Goldie die! I can't!" He sobs pathetically.

"Kid, I recall when you snuck on here with her a few months ago. I saw how she readily chose you over the treasure. This surprised me, because I originally thought Miss O'Gilt only cared about herself and treasure..." Boone looks up at the captive Goldie. "Seems I was wrong."

Goldie rolls her eyes behind the blindfold.

"But, what does that have to do with anything?! She didn't have to kill anyone!"

"No, but she was willing to do whatever it took to protect you. She cares about you kid. A lot. And I can tell you care about her..."

Louie sniffs. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, for you to kill me..." Boone says calmly.

Louie is horrified, Goldie shocked, and the weasel intrigued.

"W-what!? No! You can't seriously be asking me to kill you!"

"Kid, sometimes to save those you care about, you have to do things you don't like doing."

"But if I kill you, I'll never be able to go back to my family. They'll never forgive me! Who could forgive a murderer?"

"Kid, they are your family. Of course they'll forgive you. And killing because you were forced to, to save a loved one, is different than killing on your own accord." Boone assures him. "The Clan is like family to me. No, they ARE family to me. I'd do anything to protect even one of them, whether that be killing someone, or letting myself be killed."

Louie looks to Boone, sobbing still.

"I can tell O'Gilt is like family to you. You want to save her, as she saved you. And I am telling you to do so. Do what needs to be done to save her. Kill me, so she can live. Okay?"

Louie trembles, and soon nods.

"Put the gun to my head, and pull the trigger. You don't even have to look..." Boone says, as Louie reluctantly puts the tip of the barrel to the otter's head. "Good. Now, turn your head, and look away..." Louie does so, clenching his eyes shut, and turning his head away from Boone. "There we go. Now, put your finger on the trigger..." As Louie does so. "And squeeze when you are ready."

Louie does all as he is instructed. This was it. He was going to kill someone. "I-I'm sorry..." He mutters.

"It's alright... I forgive you..." Boone mutters, closing his eyes and bracing for the end as Louie slowly pulls the trigger. However, before he can.

**BANG**

The doors to the room slam open as multiple armed Toppats, lead by Cross, bust in, aiming weapons at the mutineers, shooting any that try to draw weapons, reducing the mutineers to half.

"Let the captain go and drop your weapons, now!" Cross orders as she aims her AK at the weasel.

Boone uses the distraction to take out the two holding him, takes the pistol from Louie, and shoots the two holding Goldie captive, Louie rushing to catch her before she is dragged to the ground as he frees her.

"Aunt Goldie! Are you okay!?" Louie asks as he removes the blindfold and gag.

"Yeah, I'm fine kid, thanks..." She says with a slight smile as she is untied.

The mutineers are detained as Boone confronts their leader, the weasel. "I'd kill you now by just shooting you, but that is too merciful for traitors..." Boone signals the weasel to be taken away, before going to Louie, kneeling down to him. "Kid? You alright?"

Louie is crying, curled up, being consoled by Goldie. "No, I'm not. I don't want to kill anyone! I... I'm not cut out for this!"

Boone reaches to put a hand on Louie's shoulder, Goldie pulling Louie away, giving Boone a glare. He sighs, puts his hand down. "You probably don't trust me, given I encouraged him to be willing to commit murder."

"Yeah that's putting it lightly..." Goldie snarls at Boone, wrapping her arms around Louie protectively.

"Well, I had to do something, and honestly, I've kind a taken a liking to the kid." As Boone looks at Louie, who looks back. "Your skills actually made me almost break one of my rules. Not one of the severe ones, no, but still."

"So, what now?" Louie sniffs.

"Well, I'm going to be cleaning up the clan of any more trouble makers, and enforce the rules a lot harder. As for you... I think it is best you go home..." Boone says.

"How can I just go home? I abandoned my family! Betrayed them! They'll hate me!" Louie sobs.

"Well, I could always take you in Sharpie..." Goldie says, getting a glare from Boone. "Ugh, it was a joke!" She lies, Boone shaking his head.

"Kid, they are family. No matter what you do, no matter how mad they are at you, they will never stop loving you. I assume you ran away from home without telling them, correct?"

"And I, may have knocked out and tied up Webby and locked her in my bedroom closet after she walked in right as I was about to leave..." He says.

"Huh, finally using those skills I taught ya huh kid?" Goldie says with a grin, getting another disapproving look from Boone.

"Kid, let me ask you something. Has there ever been a time when you or another family member 'betrayed' your family even remotely like you did?" Boone asks.

"Well, yeah, once, when Dewey was upset we wouldn't listen to his story about his hat, he got caught by Don Karnage's sky pirates who actually listened to him and overthrew Karnage and made Dewey their captain and then he captured us and threatened to throw us off the pirate airship. He eventually came back to us after a bunch of stuff and apologized."

"Did you forgive him?" Boone inquires.

"Duh, he's family! Of course we forgave him, especially since us not being there for him was what partially caused it. But I don't see how that is even-ooooohh..." As Louie realizes he did pretty much the exact same with slight detail differences.

Boone nods. "You all forgave him for that, why would they not forgive you for this? I assume you felt your skills were wasted in a family focused on honest work, right? Well, don't tell them this, ever, unless you want them to get more pissed off at you, but not talking to you about that and helping you refocus those skills is part of the reason you left. Right?"

Louie nods, sighs. "Yeah, I guess..." He looks at Goldie. "Aunt Goldie, I want to go back home to the manor..."

Goldie nods, smiles. "Sure thing Sharpie." She looks to Boone. "Can you take us back to Duckburg?"

"In a bit. I need to handle some things first. Just wait in the cargo bay, some of my men will lead you there." Boone assures, pats Louie on the shoulder, smiling warmly.


	5. Family Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louie returns to McDuck Manor, and while his family is glad he is safe and sound, they are none-too-happy with what he did. Could Boone’s letter help ease the situation?

Louie and Goldie stood in the ship's cargo bay, awaiting to depart. Louie was still worried how his family would react. Goldie places a hand on his shoulder, comforting him, assuring him it'll be alright. Soon enough, they are told the boat to take them to shore is ready. They prepare to leave, but are stopped by a voice.

"Wait up!" Boone shouts from behind as he rushes to them. They turn, wondering what it is now. "Kid, you almost forgot this." As he hands Louie his phone.

"Oh, hey, uh, thanks." Louie smiles.

"I, uh, added my number to your phone as a contact. If you ever need help with anything, please, just call me." Boone says.

Louie nods and puts his phone away. "Thanks, I will."

"Alright kid, let's go-" As Boone grabs Goldie's arm, she rolls her eyes. "Look, your guys already checked me. I'm not taking anythi-" As she is handed an envelope.

"You stay with the kid while he deals with his family. When things are about to get, rough, you give this to McDuck. Alright? Do not open it or read it before giving it to him. Understood?" Boone says to Goldie, quietly so Louie doesn't hear.

Goldie understands and nods, takes the letter and pulls her arm away from Boone. "Got it. Come on kid, let's get you home..." Goldie tells Louie as they board the boat, Boone giving them a short salute goodbye as he sees them off.

* * *

_Later, at McDuck Manor_

The family is in the sitting room, wondering what to do, worried sick. How would they get Louie back? Could they get him back? Was he okay? A thousand questions race through their minds. Then, there is a knock on the front door. When they open it, they see Goldie, with Louie by her side. Seeing he came back, they rush to him, elated.

"Louie!" They all yell as Della runs and picks up her son into a hug. "My baby boy, you came back!" However, the feelings soon turn sour as he is put down, getting scowls from the family. "What the hell were you thinking!?" Della asks.

"We were worried sick about you lad!" Scrooge scolds.

"You left us just to join some criminal organization! One that nearly killed our family on numerous occasions!" Huey scolds, disappointed in his baby brother doing the worst thing he has ever done.

"Do you have any idea what we went through!? We thought you could be hurt! Or worse!" Donald scolds.

"I know. I messed up. I hurt all of you. I'm sorry..." He says semi-quietly with genuine guilt and remorse, not looking at them, not wanting to make things worse.

"Messed up doesn't begin to describe it! You hurt us all! You are in so much trou-" Della scolds.

"Hey, before you punish the kid, I was told to give you this..." As Goldie hands Scrooge the envelope Boone gave her. The envelope had written on it 'To the adults of McDuck Manor, do not show to kids'.

Della looks at Louie. "To your room. Now. We will discuss this later..." She says upset, Louie obeying with a quiet nod, expression unchanged.

Scrooge takes the envelope, then looks at the other kids. "I think it best you all go upstairs..." He says in a semi-cold manner, enough to make the kids nervous enough to obey without question. When it is just the adults, he opens the envelope, unfolds the letter, and starts to read, as do the other adults.

As they read, their expressions of anger turn to concern and hurt, then shock and horror, before sadness and worry, and then understanding. By the time they finish, they look at each other, and recall the look on Louie's face. Taking the contents of the letter as they are, they realize Louie has had a rough night. They realize he will not do something like this, ever again. And that punishing him further will resolve nothing.

"Uncle Scrooge? I, I think we should just talk to Louie in private about this." Della suggests, getting teary eyed.

"Aye lass, I think so too..." As Scrooge takes the letter to his office, and sets it on his desk.

Donald nods, as does Beakley. Goldie, feeling bad for what Louie had to go through, feels she should leave this to his family, decides to leave. The adults choose to talk to Louie tomorrow, as he's had a rough enough night.

We see the letter, sitting on Scrooge's desk...

_Dear Clan McDuck,_

_I know you will be upset at your kid, Louie, for running away from home and trying to join our Clan. You should have every right to be. You were worried and scared for him. You did not want him to throw away his life by becoming a criminal. You are his family, and thus it is your duty to protect him. However, I ask you to hear me out first, before you go too hard on him.  
_ _When he was came to me, I originally had no intention of recruiting him. He is too young. He has tendencies such as laziness. And the biggest of all, was that he was a McDuck. To let him join would obviously cause issues with you. So, I decided to try and get him to leave. I would test him, as I normally do with all potential recruits, and have him realize it was not worth the effort, give up, and go back home to you. No one gets hurt. Everyone is_ happy.  
What _I saw in him, when I actually tested him, changed my view on the matter. He has incredible skills unlike anything I have ever seen. I realized that, while he is not big on physical work, he excels at planning and finding the best way around problems. When he finished, I had changed my mind. I felt he was Toppat Clan material. I decided that I'd make an exception, and let him join, despite my rule against recruiting those under the age of 18. I decided to discuss with, and convince, the other leaders to let him join.  
_ _However, something happened. An attempted mutiny. Most of the other leaders were detained, and I was captured. I was beaten and held there. Then, not long after, your kid is brought into where I was being held by the mutineer leader. He was no doubt confused, but what happened next, no doubt scared him. The mutineer leader gave Llewellyn a gun, and told him to shoot me dead. Your kid, naturally, refused. He didn't want to hurt someone. He didn't want to KILL anyone. But, the mutineer had come up with a plan.  
_ _Turns out, Miss O'Gilt had snuck on the ship at some point in the night, trying to rob us. She was captured. Upon the mutineers recognizing the bond between her and Louie, she was brought in as well, and your kid given an ultimatum. Kill me, or they kill her. The poor kid. He was scared out of his wits. He didn't want to kill someone, but he didn't want to let this woman die either. He started to cry. O'Gilt cursed the mutineers out, trying to get them to let Louie go, to no avail. I could see the connection between them, and knew something had to be done.  
_ _I told him... To do it. To kill me, and save Miss O'Gilt. He refused, saying he couldn't, because he felt you would never forgive him nor love him again if he was a murderer. I told him you all would. That you all would love him no matter what. That you all would not blame him. I know, because I myself would do anything to save even one member of the Clan, including sacrificing my own life. I told him as much. I told him that the Clan is family to me. That I would readily, without question, kill or be killed to save any one of them. Miss O'Gilt was like family to him no different. I wouldn't let him lose someone he cared about. I was ready to die, so he could save her. I told him to put the gun to my head, look away, and pull the trigger, and to not look back. He did. He apologized. And I forgave him. I prepared for my demise... It would never come.  
_ _In a twist of fate, my right hand lady had managed to flee, rally other Toppats, and overpower the mutineers, bursting in just in time. Miss O'Gilt was freed, and she immediately consoled Louie. I had the surviving mutineers taken away to be deal with later. Louie then said that he didn't want to be a Toppat anymore, and that he wanted to go home. I told him I agreed. He didn't belong here. He needed to be with his family who could protect him from having to make hard choices like killing, given he is so young. So, he left with Miss O'Gilt, who I can be certain is with you now. Before they left, I gave her this letter to give you. Which brings us to now.  
_ _He calls himself the 'evil' triplet, but that is a misnomer. Yes, he is more scheming, less good than his brothers, but he is not a bad kid. Not at all. He just needs the proper guidance to get him on the right track. He admitted part of the reason he left was so his schemes would not risk hurting you all, his family. He cares about you. Loves you. Please, I ask you, do not punish him. He has been through enough already. The Clan has put you all through enough...  
_ _I extend my sincerest apologies for all the times members of the clan nearly hurt any of you. When we attacked the Manor, none of you were in any true danger. It was a diversion, meant to keep you away from the Money Bin as we robbed it. For the pod nearly crushing Mrs Duck and Louie, that was a genuine accident. We never kidnapped Mrs Duck and Webbigail. They had snuck on board and were captured. The plan to kill them was on the sole accord of the one who planned such, and was in fact against the Clan code of honor. I assure you, he has been dealt with. And for when Mrs Duck, Webbigail, and the Sabrewing sisters snuck on board, the harm nearly brought on them, again, was against the code. As before, the perpetrator was dealt with._

_Mr McDuck, I, nor the Clan, mean any harm to you nor your family. We robbed you, yes, but we are criminals, after all, and you are the wealthiest duck in the world. The urge was too tempting. However, in the future, we will practice greater caution as to avoid further incidents. In fact, I shall actively try to help and protect your family if the need arises. We are not villains. Bad guys? Yes. But we are not evil, and I hope to prove such to you all some day.  
_ _I wish you all well, and hope your family prospers until the end of time._

_Regards,  
_ _Ian 'Sharpsmith' Boone, Captain of Toppat Megaship, co-leader of the Toppat Clan_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, it ends rather abruptly, but I’d rather leave the aftermath open to interpretation.


End file.
